Automatic vacuum cleaners



Jan. 13, 1959 A. P. CAWL I AUTOMATIC VACUUM CLEANERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 29, 1956 n V m j 8 Q a. A O I a W m a J/ @W 9v M Q n R v wk Nw 0 mm a? G wlfi ww s m 3w rum. vm 3 v .3 8\ PH IH I w? v 3 9Q g N9.

Jan. 13, 1959 A. P. CAWL AUTOMATIC VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Feb. 29, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent AUTOMATIC VACUUM CLEANERS Allen P.Cawl, Noroton Heights, Conn., assignor to Electrolux (Iorporation, OldGreenwich, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application February 29,1956, Serial No. 568,458

7 Claims. (Cl. 200-67) My invention relates to a vacuum cleaner and moreparticularly to a cleaner of the automatic type, that is one in which apredetermined increase in the pressure drop through the dust separatingbag effects a control of the cleaner, such as opening the front cover orshutting off the motor, or both.

More particularly my invention is concerned with an improved electricswitch for controlling the operation of the motor, both manually and inresponse to the afore said increase in pressure drop, together withmeans for mounting the switch on the vacuum cleaner.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings which form part of the specification, and ofwhich:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a vacuum cleanerembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial front view of the cleaner shown in Fig. 1 with thefront cover removed, and on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. Sis a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale of the electricswitch shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, reference character 10 designatesa hollow housing adapted to be sup ported in a substantially horizontalposition on a hor izontal'surface by means of rear wheels 12 and a frontcaster wheel 14. Mounted within the housing 10 is a motor fan unitincluding an electric motor 16 and a fan 18 having an inlet opening 20.Secured to the otherwise open end of the housing 10 is an end cap 22which supports an air filter 24. Cap 22 is formed with an exhaustopening 26 beyond the filter.

To the other end of the housing 10 is secured a ring 28 formed with aninwardly extending flange 30 to which is secured an inner perforatedbody 32. A disposable dust bag34- is removably received within the innerbody and includes a porous paper bag portion 36 secured to a cardboarddisc 38. The disc is adapted to seat in airtight relation against aflexible gasket 40 carried by the front ring 28.

Pivoted to the front ring at 42 is a front cover or closure member 44which carries an inlet tube 46 which extends through an aperture 48formed in the cardboard disc 38. A resilient rubber ring St is carriedby the conduit 46 and bears against the central portion of the cardboarddisc so as to hold the disc against the gasket 40 anda plate member 51for enclosing the hollow space withinv cover 44 is carried by the ring50. The outer end of inlet conduit 46 is formed as a portion of a cou-"ice pling 52 adapted to removably connect it to the end of a suctionhose.

Mounted in the space within front cover 44 below the inlet conduit 46and designated generally by reference character 54 is a controldiaphragm mechanism. This includes a casing forming a diaphragm chamberin which is disposed a flexible diaphragm 56. The space in the chamberto the right of the diaphragm, as viewed in Fig. 1, is connected througha tube 58 with an opening formed in an intermediate portion of the inletconduit 46. A tube 60 is connected to the other side of the diaphragmchamber and extends around the inlet conduit 46 and terminates in anopening 62 formed near the side edge of the plate 51 of the front cover,as is shown in Fig. 4. When the front cover is in place, this opening 62is aligned with the flared end 64 of a tube 66 which is carried by thefront ring 28, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and which extends into thespace between the casing 10 and inner body 32.

The casing of control member 54 includes a cylindrical portion 68 withinwhich is movably mounted a valve body consisting of a sleeve 70 to whichis secured a knob 72 which has threaded engagement with the cylindricalpart 68. Sleeve 70 is formed with an internal annular shoulder forming avalve seat with which cooperates a valve member 74-, which is urged intosealing contact with the seat by means of a spring 76. The valve 74 issecured to a stem 78 which extends into the diaphragm chamber so as tobe contacted by the diaphragm 56 as the latter is displaced to the left.The diaphragm is normally urged to the right by means of a loadingspring 88. As will be seen clearly in Fig. 1, the knob 72 is accessiblefrom the exterior of cover 44 for manual rotation and it will be seenthat, because of its threaded engagement with portion 68, rotation ofthe knob moves the latter along with the sleeve 70 and the valve 74axially of the cylindrical portion 68 so asto vary the displacementrequired of the diaphragm 56 before it strikes the stem 73. A tube 82connects the interior of cylindrical portion 68 to the interior of apower diaphragm chamber 84.

The right-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 1, of chamber 84 is closed bymeans of a flexible diaphragm 86, the other side of which is exposed toatmospheric pressure. This diaphragm carries a stem 88 which engages anarm 90 of a cover latch 92 which is pivoted to the front cover at h t. Aspring 6 tends to pivot the latch in a counterclockwise direction so asto engage it with a keeper 98 mounted on the front ring 28, as is shownin Figs. 1 and 2.

Mounted on the upper outer surface of casing 10 is a channel member 106which extends from the front ring 28 longitudinally of the casing. Thefront end of a carrying handle 102 is secured against the upper surfaceof channel and the channel is secured to the casing 10 by means offastening means 104. Slidably mounted within the channel is a rod 106,the lefthand end of which extends through an opening formed in the frontring 28 and the rod is urged outwardly through this opening by means ofa coil spring 108. When the cover 44 is closed it strikes the end of rod106 and displaces it to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1.

Mounted to the right of the handle 102 is an electric switch designatedgenerally by reference character 110. The details of the switch areshown more particularly in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The switch includes aswitch case 112 of insulating material having a portion 114 engaged bythe rear end of the handle, a fastening member 116 extending through thehandle and the portion 114 so as to secure both the handle and theswitch case 112 to the casing 10. The case includes side Walls-118-and arear walll 120. Spaced inwardly from each of the side walls 118 is aseat 122 formed with a slot 124 therethrough. Mounted on the seat 122 isa toggle switch 126 having an actuating arm 123 which extends downwardlythrough the slot 124. The switch includes an electric terminal .130.which is securely fixed, as by the bolt 132 to an extension 134 formedon the inner end of a contact prong 136. This prong extends through aslot formed in the rear wall 120 of the switch case and 1s fixed inplace therein by means of a pin 138 of insulating material which extendsthrough a vertical bore 1n the rear wall and through an aligned openingof the prong 136. A second contact prong 141) extends in spaced relationto prong 136 through another slot in the rear wall 120 and is held inplace by the lower portron of the pin 138. These prongs are adapted toengage the plug 139 of an electric cord 141, shown in Fig. 1.

A U-shaped member 142 is provided with outwardly extendingsemi-cylindrical pins 144 near the free ends of the legs, while theother ends are connected together by means of a cross member 146.U-shaped member 142 is made of flexible material so that in assemblingthe parts, the free ends of the legs may be squeezed togethersulficiently to permit the extending pins 144 to pass through the spacebetween side walls 118 and the seat 122 of the switch case until theysnap into recesses in the top edges of the two side walls. The crossmember 146 is formed with a recess 148 into which extends the lower endof the actuating arm 128 of the toggle switch. Consequently, pivoting ofthe U-shaped member about the pins 144 causes the actuating arm 128 tobe pivoted so as to operate the switch mechanism.

A manually movable element 150 is formed with flanges 152 which engagethe upper free ends of the legs of the U-shaped member, thus preventingthe ends of the legs from being moved inwardly towards each other whichwould result in disengagement of the pins 144 from the recesses of theside walls 118. Element 150 is also provided with a pair of outwardlyextending semi-circular pins 154 which mate with the semi-circular pins144. The pins 154 are retained in the recesses formed in the side walls118 by flanges 156 of an outertrim member 158 which surrounds theswitchcase 112.

The cross member 146 is formed with an opening 160 through which extendsthe rear end of the rod 106, the latter being formed with a head 162,which is larger than the opening 160.

The above described device operates as follows:

With the parts in the position shown in the figures, the switch 110 isclosed so as to supply current from the electric cord 141 to the motor16, thus causing the latter to drive the fan so as to induce a flow ofair through the inlet opening 20. This produces a partial vacuum withinthe housing 10, thus causing air to be introduced through the inletopening conduit 46 to the interior of the dust bag 34, from whence itpasses through the porous paper of the bag and the perforated body 32 tothe fan inlet.

If it is desired to stop the motor the element 150 is pivoted in aclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 5. This causes theU-shaped member 142 to be pivoted in a similar direction, which in turnpivots the switch arm 128 in a clockwise direction so as to open thecircuit through the switch. This pivoting of U- shaped member 142 maytake place without effecting movement of the rod 106, inasmuch as thecrosss-memher 146 merely moves away from the head 162 of the rod. Inorder to restart the motor, the element 150- is pivoted in the oppositedirection so as to restore the parts to the positions shown particularlyin Figs. 1 and 5.

As dirt-ladened air is introduced into the dust bag 34, the dirt isseparated from the air stream therein and collects on the inner surfaceof the porous bag portion 36, thus interfering with the flow of air andincreasing the pressure drop through the bag. Inasmuch as the left-handside of the diaphragm 56 is in communication with the space between thebag and the fan inlet 20 through the conduits 60 and 66, while theright-hand side of the diaphragm is in communication with the spacewithin the bag through the conduits 58 and 46, this increasing pressuredifference causes the diaphragm to move to the left against the force ofthe loading spring 80. When the pressure drop has increased to apredetermined value, the diaphragm strikes the stem 78 of the valve 74and further movement unseats the valve, thus establishing communicationbetween the high vacuum chamber to the left of the diaphragm and thespace within the cylindrical portion 68, which space is in communicationthrough the tube 82 with the power diaphragm chamber, thus permittingatmospheric pres sure to displace the diaphragm to the left, thuspivoting the latch 92 so as to disengage it from the keeper 98.

The weight of the cover 44, as well as the outward push of the rod 106under the influence of spring 108, causes the cover to pivot to an openposition. At the same time, the movement of the rod 166 to the leftcauses the head 162 thereof to engage the cross-member 146, thuspivoting the U-shaped member and the switch arm 128 so as to open thecircuit through the switch.

The opening of the cleaner and stopping of the motor informs theoperator that the dust bag should be replaced with a clean one. Whenthis has been done and the front cover closed, it pushes the rod 106 tothe right, but this does not actuate the switch, as the head 162 merelymoves away from the cross member 146, and the switch will not be closeduntil it is actuated manually by means of the element 150.

While I have described one more or less specific embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that this has been done for purposesof illustration only and that the scope of my invention is not to belimited thereby, but is to be determined from the apppended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an electric switching device, a switch case formed with a seatspaced inwardly from opposite sides of said case, said seat having anelongated slot therethrough, a toggle switch including a frame mountedin said seat and having an arm pivoted in said frame and extendingdownwardly through said slot, a U-shaped actuating member within saidcase having legs extending vertically on either side of said switch andseat, a cross member joining the lower ends of said legs and engagingthe lower end of said pivoted arm, means for pivotally mounting theupper portions of said legs in opposite sides of said case, and amanually movable element connected to the upper ends of said legs abovesaid switch and movable to pivot said U-shaped member and said switcharm.

2. In an electric switching device, a switch case formed with a seatspaced inwardly from opposite sides of said case, said seat having anelongated slot therethrough, a toggle switch including a frame mountedin said seat and having an arm pivoted in said frame and extendingdownwardly through said slot, a U-shaped actuating member within saidcase having legs extending vertically on either side of said switch andseat, a cross member joining the lower ends of said legs and engagingthe lower end of said pivoted arm, a pin extending outwardly from theupper portion of each of said legs and pivotally received in recesses inopposite sides of said case for pivotally mounting said U-shaped member,and a manually movable element connected to the upper ends of said legsabove said switch for maintaining said upper ends in spaced relationshipand with said pins in said recesses, said element being movable to pivotsaid U-shaped member and said switch arm.

3. In an electric switching device, a switch case formed with a seatspaced inwardly from opposite sides of said case, said seat having anelongated slot therethrough, a toggle switch mounted in said seat andhaving a pivoted arm extending downwardly through said slot, a U-shapedactuating member within said case having legs extending vertically oneither side of said switch and seat, a cross member joining the lower.ends of said legs and engaging the lower end of said pivoted arm, asemi-cylindrical pin extending outwardly from the upper portion of eachof said legs and pivotally received in recesses in opposite sides ofsaid case for pivotally mounting said U-shaped member, a manuallymovable element having a sliding connection with the upper ends of saidlegs above said switch for maintaining said upper ends in spacedrelationship and with said pins in said recesses, and a semi-cylindricalpin extending outwardly from each side of said element and mating withthe aforesaid pins in said recesses, said element being pivotal to pivotsaid U-shaped member and said switch arm.

4. In an electric switching device, a switch case formed with a seatspaced inwardly from opposite sides of said case, said seat having anelongated slot therethrough, a toggle switch mounted in said seat andhaving a pivoted arm extending downwardly through said slot, a U-shapedactuating member within said case having legs extending vertically oneither side of said switch and seat, a cross member joining the lowerends of said legs and engaging the lower end of said pivoted arm, meansfor pivotally mounting the upper portions of said legs in opposite sidesof said case, a manually movable element connected to the upper ends ofsaid legs above said switch and movable to pivot said U-shaped memberand said switch arm, and a switch actuating rod having a lost motionconnection with said cross member and movable for pivoting said U-shapedmember and said switch arm.

5. In an electric switching device, a one piece switch case ofinsulating material formed with a seat, a switch mounted in said seat,an elongated contact prong insertable lengthwise through an opening in awall of said one piece case, means for securing said prong in fixedrelation to said wall, an electric terminal on said switch, and meansfor securing the inner end of said prong to said terminal to establishan electrical connection therebetween and to hold said switch in saidseat.

6. In an electric switching device, a switch case of insulating materialformed with a seat, a switch mounted in said seat, a pair of contactprongs extending through spaced slots in a wall of said case, said wallhaving a bore intersecting said slots and each of said prongs having anaperture in alignment with said bore, a pin of insulating materialdisposed in said bore and extending through said apertures for securingsaid prongs in fixed relation to said wall, an electric terminal on saidswitch, and means for securing the inner end of one of said prongs tosaid terminal to establish an electrical connection therebetween and tohold said switch in said seat.

7. In an electric switching device, a switch case formed with a seatspaced inwardly from opposite sides of said case, said seat having anelongated slot therethrough, a toggle switch mounted in said seat andhaving a pivoted arm extending downwardly through said slot, a U-shapedactuating member within said case having legs extending vertically oneither side of said switch and seat, a cross member joining the lowerends of said legs and engaging the lower end of said pivoted arm, asemi-cylindrical pin extending outwardly from the upper portion of eachof said legs and pivotally received in open ended recesses in oppositesides of said case for pivotally mounting said U-shaped member, amanually movable element having a pair of sockets for slidably receivingthe upper ends of said legs for maintaining said upper ends in spacedrelationship and with said pins in said recesses, a semicylindrical pinextending outwardly from each side of said element and mating with theaforesaid pins in said recesses, said element being pivotal to pivotsaid U-shaped member and said switch arm, and means closing the openends of said recesses for retaining said pins therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,148,875 Perkins Feb. 28, 1939 2,211,815 Hansson Aug. 20, 19402,288,283 Hlltt June 30, 1942 2,312,426 Lofgren Mar. 2, 1943 2,320,357Platz et al. June 1, 1943 2,464,401 Kelly Mar. 15, 1949 2,702,325Ferraris Feb. 15, 1955 2,725,114 Brace Nov. 19, 1955 2,737,262 FerrarisMar. 6, 1956 2,786,912 Healy Mar. 26, 1957

